After a January to savor, the Ultimate Fighting Championship rolls into a new month of fights with its opening UFC Fight Night of 2009.

UFC Fight Night 17 takes the UFC to Florida’s west coast for the first time, with Joe Lauzon headlining against Jeremy Stephens on Saturday night at the University of South Florida Sun Dome in Tampa. This installment of the UFN series features a heavy helping of alums from “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show in what has become the UFC’s primary platform to showcase up-and-coming fighters.

The 24-year-old Lauzon (17-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is among a cadre of talented fighters in the UFC’s increasingly deep lightweight division who have a host of intriguing fights ahead of them. Along with Lauzon, lightweights such as Clay Guida, Mac Danzig, Nate Diaz, Tyson Griffin and Joe Stevenson, among many others, give UFC matchmaker Joe Silva limitless options to create compelling bouts outside of the title-fight spotlight.

One of those match-ups for UFN 17 was expected to be Lauzon, who appeared on season five of “TUF,” against veteran Hermes Franca. However, Franca was scratched from the fight after suffering a torn anterior crucial ligament in his right knee late last month. Stephens steps in as his replacement on less than two weeks’ notice.

It’s a drastic change of direction for Lauzon from a preparation point of view. His bout against Franca was to pit strength against strength with both fighters coming from a Brazilian jiu-jitsu background. Stephens (14-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC), however, prefers to lead with his hands. He has racked up seven knockouts or TKOs in his past 10 wins, and he is coming off a KO stoppage of Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 91 in November.

“Stephens is a brawler, but once it hits the ground, it’s going to be an entirely different fight,” Lauzon told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) in assessing his opponent. “Hermes is a black belt in (Brazilian) jiu-jitsu. Stephens isn’t as good as him on the ground. He’s going to come out and try to knock me out. He doesn’t want to fight me on the ground. Hermes was a bigger fight, but this is a little easier fight for me.”

Interesting comment from a man considered one of the more astute fighters in the UFC. Stephens, 22 years old, realizes the magnitude of the opportunity he’s been given, fighting in his first UFC main event, and Lauzon’s comment provides a little extra training-camp fodder to get ready for the bout.

Another 155-pound fight on the main card could produce a future opponent for the winner of the Lauzon-Stephens match-up. Danzig (18-5-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) faces Josh Neer (24-7-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC), with both fighters coming off losses.

Many MMA experts viewed Danzig as an instant contender in the division after he tore through the sixth season of “TUF,” capped with an efficient first-round submission of Tommy Speer in the finale in December 2007. The soft-spoken vegan, who celebrated his 29th birthday this past Sunday, took out Mark Bocek by rear-naked choke in his first post-“TUF” bout at UFC 83. However, he stumbled against Guida this past September, losing by unanimous decision at UFN 15 in a fight most expected him to win.

Neer, who’s been in and out of the UFC on a few occasions over the course of his six-year-career, lost his most recent fight against Nate Diaz by split decision at UFN 15 in September. Despite his arrest for driving under the influence by Des Moines, Iowa police on Jan. 1, Neer was given the go-ahead by the UFC to keep his spot on the televised card. Neer’s early-morning arrest was allegedly preceded by his involvement in a three-car collision and leading police on a high-speed chase. He’s free on bond and needs a victory over Danzig to remain in the mix at lightweight.

Also on the main card is rising heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez, who’s showed in just four pro fights, two of which have been in the octagon, that he’s had little trouble making the transition from collegiate wrestling to MMA.

The education major graduated as a two-time wrestling All-American from Arizona State and relocated to San Jose, Calif., in August 2006 to train with the American Kickboxing Academy. Velasquez had difficulty landing fights after starting his career with a win each in BodogFIGHT and Strikeforce.

Without additional bouts to beef up his résumé, AKA trainer Bob Cook arranged a private workout for Velasquez in front of UFC executives. UFC President Dana White liked what he saw and signed the California native to a four-fight deal.

Despite his wrestling background, the 26-year-old prefers to strike. He’s ended his foursome of fights by TKO, and he blasted Jake O’Brien in just two minutes last time out in July. Denis Stojnic is up next for Velasquez. Stojnic, 29, from Holland, has fought exclusively on the European circuit and brings a 5-1 mark into his UFC debut.

UFN 17 marks the UFC’s inaugural stop in Tampa, where Xtreme Fighting Championships has drawn crowds in excess of 10,000. Spike TV will carry at least four bouts on the card, beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern.

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